]]>http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2017/07/23/we-moved/feed/0International Women’s Day – IGLYO and Young Feminist Europe Joint Statement on Intersectionalityhttp://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2017/03/08/international-womens-day-iglyo-and-young-feminist-europe-joint-statement-on-intersectionality/
http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2017/03/08/international-womens-day-iglyo-and-young-feminist-europe-joint-statement-on-intersectionality/#respondWed, 08 Mar 2017 07:26:14 +0000http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/?p=2277As feminists and women's rights advocates must be inclusive and realise the diversity of persons that struggle against gender based violence and discrimination, and approach equality from an intersectional and norm critical point of view

Each year the 8th of March, feminists and human rights activists gather to shed light on our continued struggle for equality and to celebrate our progress.

In recent years we have seen the backtracking of human rights in several European countries, specifically in relation to the right to life, liberty and security of personal, sexual and reproductive health and rights. This is connected to conservative, populist and fascist ideas that have spread rampantly since the economic crisis.

Across Europe, the right to safe abortion is being questioned. Abortion is banned in Ireland and Malta, and the public debate about re-introducing restrictions to abortion is a reality in several countries, such as in Poland as well as in Italy, France, Romania, Belgium, Spain.

In Romania, lawmakers are looking at ways to restrict sexual and reproductive health education in school. In Italy, sexual and reproductive health education is not institutionalised in the national school system. This directly affects young women and men and their right to receive sexual and reproductive health information and education.

Further, violence against women is a daily threat to European women, including domestic violence and femicide. In some European countries, namely Italy and France, one woman every 3 days is killed by her boyfriend, husband, partner. One in three women in the EU has experienced physical and/or sexual violence.

IGLYO and YFE urge the European countries to ratify the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence and take immediate action to counter violence against women, non-binary, intersex and trans persons’.

Lesbian, bisexual and queer women face specific types of violence and discrimination pertaining to both sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, leading to social exclusion and poorer mental health. Transwomen face the highest levels of violence and are often forced into poverty due to social stigma and discrimination related to employment. Sexism, homo- and transphobia are interconnected and hinder women, non-binary, intersex and trans persons’ access to human rights and equal treatment in similar but also different ways. We have seen more examples of these efforts to hinder women, trans, intersex and non-binary persons to access their human rights throughout Europe.

Young people are specifically vulnerable too as they have less means to protect themselves from violations and are often dependent on their family or others for their survival. Young people’s access to and knowledge about rights are absolutely fundamental to the realisation of equality and non-discrimination.

We as feminists and women’s rights advocates must be inclusive and realise the diversity of persons that struggle against gender based violence and discrimination, and approach equality from an intersectional and norm critical point of view. If we don’t, we will only succeed in leaving our sisters and siblings behind. The term “women” must always include all persons who identify as women, also women with trans experience.

IGLYO and YFE recognise the backlash to our fight for equal rights, but we also encourage the international solidarity seen throughout Europe and the world when our rights are being challenged. We also recognise a willingness from many for the feminist movement to be a truly intersectional movement, where women and non-binary persons of different socioeconomic, ethnic and religious backgrounds and of different sexual orientations and gender expressions, bodily diversity and sex characteristics work together and challenge each other in constructive ways. We welcome this development and believe that our movements and fight for human rights will be strengthened by our efforts.

]]>http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2017/03/08/international-womens-day-iglyo-and-young-feminist-europe-joint-statement-on-intersectionality/feed/0Are the abortion rights in France at risk due to the upcoming presidential elections?http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2017/01/26/are-the-abortion-rights-in-france-at-risk-due-to-the-upcoming-presidential-elections/
http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2017/01/26/are-the-abortion-rights-in-france-at-risk-due-to-the-upcoming-presidential-elections/#respondWed, 25 Jan 2017 23:02:11 +0000http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/?p=2258This January 17th was the forty-first anniversary of the “veil law”, which gave cisgender women of France the right to get an abortion. This right was won by the hard work of determined feminists in France. It was a long battle, spanning many centuries. Back in the forties, having an abortion in France was penalized by capital […]

]]>This January 17th was the forty-first anniversary of the “veil law”, which gave cisgender women of France the right to get an abortion. This right was won by the hard work of determined feminists in France. It was a long battle, spanning many centuries. Back in the forties, having an abortion in France was penalized by capital punishment and even though that the last execution took place in 1942, having an abortion was still a crime until the seventies. In 1944 women were allowed to vote in elections in France, at the time the feminist movement was spreading around Europe and in France, the main focus was on reproductive rights. After family planning was established, several clinics opened up and contraception was legalized in 1967 – yes folks, it was illegal!

In 1971, 343 female public figures signed a manifesto declaring that they’d had an abortion and asked to stand trial. The text of the manifesto was written by Simone de Beauvoir and began as follows:

“One million women in France have abortions every year. Condemned to secrecy, they do so in dangerous conditions, while under medical supervision this is one of the simplest procedures. We are silencing these millions of women. I declare that I am one of them. I declare that I have had an abortion. Just as we demand free access to contraception, we demand the freedom to have an abortion.” (via revolvy)

Cover of Le Nouvel Observateur

The manifesto was published on Le Nouvel Observatoire is often referred as the “Manifesto of 343 sluts” due to the fact that after the release of the manifesto, cartoonist Cabu (who was murdered during the Charlie Hebdo shooting) drew a cover for Charlie Hebdo stating: “Who got the 343 sluts from the abortion manifesto pregnant?”

Two years later, in 1973, over three hundred doctors in France signed a declaration stating that they support abortion rights and a woman’s right to make decisions about their reproductive health. Finally the public began to support the campaign and abortion was legalised in 1974 for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy, this was later extended to 12 weeks. Additionally, since 1982, abortion fees have been paid through social security as a fundamental right.

With this brief history of the battle driven by feminists in France over half a century, to improve the access to a safe and legal abortion, France may now be seen to be taking a step backwards regarding this issue in the upcoming presidential elections. There has been a huge increase in anti-abortion campaigns run by conservatives. The current parliament even voted to ban anti-abortion websites, however, it backfired with huge criticism from conservatives stating that banning these websites is against their freedom of speech. Presidential candidates for the upcoming election are taking their stand on the issue as well. François Fillon, the official candidate from the Republican Party, Les Républicains, has stated that because of his religious beliefs he is against abortion, but that he would not change the law itself. Yet far right candidate from the Front National, Marine Le Pen, said that she does not agree that abortion should be paid for with social security and that she would like to alter this decision.

As the campaigns against abortion increase and as the political candidates start taking their stands on the issue, the current access abortion rights appear to be at risk. As a result of this, on the anniversary of the day when the legalisation of abortion passed in France, INSOMNIA, a feminist squad based in Paris, known for their night actions, walked the streets of Paris and hung a thousand posters using coat-hangers with the following statements:

IVG: non au retour du cintre en mai 2017 (Abortion: we say no to the return of the hanger in May 2017)*

These posters and the use of coat-hangers were designed to attract the attention of passers-by, as they are tragic reminders of the lengths that women were forced to go to when abortions were illegal. INSOMNIA intentionally left coat-hangers and posters in front of the building of Le Figaro, which is a newspaper known for supporting the central-right and which has recently published an advertisement using anti-abortion propaganda.

INSOMNIA, in their press release, stated that abortion rights which have been won in France are non-negotiable and that politicians do not have the right to make decisions on women’s bodies. They demand that the compensation of abortions should remain a constitutional right in the French legislation. They also demand that the right to abortion be inscribed in the Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union.*

Photography by Pauline Makoveitchoux

“Never forget that a political, economical or religious crisis is enough to cast doubt on women’s rights. These rights will never be vested. You have to stay vigilant your whole life.” – Simone de Beauvoir.*

*Localisations of the slogans, the press release and the quote of Simone de Beauvoir were done by INSOMNIA

]]>http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2017/01/26/are-the-abortion-rights-in-france-at-risk-due-to-the-upcoming-presidential-elections/feed/0Pictures from the European Women’s marcheshttp://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2017/01/22/pictures-from-the-european-womens-marches/
http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2017/01/22/pictures-from-the-european-womens-marches/#respondSun, 22 Jan 2017 08:44:38 +0000http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/?p=2203Some impressions from the Women's marches all over Europe

]]>http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2017/01/22/pictures-from-the-european-womens-marches/feed/0Systematised Sexism: The effect of language on European World Viewshttp://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2017/01/17/systematised-sexism-the-effect-of-language-structure-on-european-world-views/
http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2017/01/17/systematised-sexism-the-effect-of-language-structure-on-european-world-views/#respondTue, 17 Jan 2017 21:36:36 +0000http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/?p=2192Can language contribute to the subordination of women? How is gender used in European languages? And is it possible to change sexist languages? An introduction

]]>Can language contribute to the subordination of women? How is gender used in European languages? And is it possible to change sexist languages? An introduction

In the mid-1970s, Robin Lakoff, professor of Linguistics at the University of California, Berkley, established Language and Gender Studies as an academic discipline with the publication of her essay, Language and Women’s Place. Lakoff’s essay prompted an examination of the role that language plays in gender roles as a means of sexual discrimination and oppression. People started to wonder: does the structure and usage of language contribute to the subordination of women? It was around this time that a demand for ‘gender-fair language’ emerged, and the struggle to implement it has proved just as difficult as achieving gender equality.

‘Man Made Language’

Agreeing with the claim that language should be gender neutral depends on whether we agree that the way language is constructed and used has an impact on our worldview. Dale Spender, author (or perhaps I should say authoress?) of ‘Man Made Language’, argues that language is ‘our means of classifying and ordering the world’. It is through language that we learn; we discover who we are; it is even perhaps how we determine who we are, therefore language systems arguably have an influence over our perception of ourselves and the world. In the words of British philosopher Alan W. Watts, ‘“We seldom realise, for example, that our most private thoughts and emotions are not actually our own. For we think in terms of languages and images which we did not invent, but which were given to us by our society”.

Both the French and German languages have been criticised as inherently sexist, in that they render women invisible due to the principle of ‘male-as-norm’. In these languages, a mixed group of women and men would be referred to using the ‘generic masculine’, and it is only when talking specifically about women that feminine suffixes or agreements are employed. When denoting a female in German, the female suffix –in is added to the standard male form of a noun. Linguists and feminists condemn these conventions, as women are presented as an extension of and thus dependent on men. The symbolic order of our society, based on the myth of male superiority and the socially imposed dichotomy of masculine and feminine roles, therefore underlies the German and French languages.

‘La France, c’est la langue française’

The relationship between the French language and the French people is an interesting one. The historian Fernand Braudel once said ‘la France, c’est la langue française’ (Translation: France is the French language). As a secular republic, the French are not united by religion, ethnic origin or ancestry, but rather by principles, values and a common language. The French poet Alain Borer claims that it is upon the French language that the French state was founded, and the language is tightly linked to French identity and mind set. In French, attention is constantly drawn to the issue of gender thanks to grammatical agreements; men and women are constantly differentiated between. Might this influence the French worldview, especially as the French language and identity are said to go hand in hand?

These are not the sole offenders, either. Most European languages are sexist in their usage and/or structure, in that they are vehicles that transmit a worldview biased towards men. In English, for example, titles are used as a means of signalling females’ sexual availability and relationship to men. Mrs Smith is married; Miss Smith is single and available (and please put her out of her single misery); Ms Smith is probably a man-hating feminist, whereas Mr Smith is of course not defined by his marital status.

How to change sexist language?

Acknowledging that languages are sexist is one thing, but finding an agreed solution is easier said than done. Firstly, forcing language change is a controversial idea, as is reflected by a 1992 study into French and German attitudes to institutional language reforms: between 70% and 95% of the general public was hostile to the language reforms. The opinion is generally favoured that languages are fluid, constantly evolving, reflecting cultural practices. Policing language is viewed as unnatural. Secondly, opinions vary over which solution is best. In the case of German, feminist linguists have suggested at least ten different ways of avoiding the generic masculine in third person plural, all of which carry their pros and cons. For example, despite increasing the visibility of women, some suggestions have been criticised as not being inclusive of the LGBTQIA community. Then, even if an option was agreed and implemented into language law, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to regulate language usage in the private sphere.

Mrs Smith is married; Miss Smith is single and available (and please put her out of her single misery); Ms Smith is probably a man-hating feminist, whereas Mr Smith is of course not defined by his marital status

Today, over 40 years after the publication of Language and Women’s Place, language continues to be used as a means of belittling or subordinating women. The Olympic Games in Rio provided countless examples of this, with Europeans at the heart of the ignorance. During the games, French ex-rugby player Fabin Galthié offered up his thoughts on the France vs United States female rugby match: “Les Françaises sont beaucoup plus mignonnes, beaucoup plus féminines que les Américaines”. (Translation: The French are a lot cuter, a lot more feminine than the Americans.) It is safe to say he didn’t analyse the male rugby team in the same way. The Daily Mail also referred to swimmer Katie Ledecky as ‘the female Michael Phelps’, and Simone Biles shattered comparisons with male athletes, stating ‘I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps, I’m the first Simone Biles.’ These examples demonstrate the way that women are viewed as inferior to, and only qualified by, men.

The idea that language is not merely a means of voicing ideas, but rather a shaper of ideas, also known as linguistic relativity or the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, is much contested in linguistics and warrants much further exploration than is possible in this article. Still, if accepted, the theory is perhaps quite worrying when considering the consequence of codified sexism in languages such as English, French and German. If the very language we use to fight gender inequality is perhaps contributing to it, how can we ever win? We’re arguing for gender equality with a male voice.

]]>http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2016/11/21/a-brief-history-of-sexual-harassment-in-finland-in-one-hashtag/feed/0FGM in Europe: The State of Playhttp://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2016/10/10/fgm-in-europe-the-state-of-play/
http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2016/10/10/fgm-in-europe-the-state-of-play/#commentsMon, 10 Oct 2016 19:44:05 +0000http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/?p=2054Far from being an external or an African problem, it is estimated that around 500,000 women living in the EU have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) and close to 180,000 young women and girls are at risk from it every year. Different initiatives on the EU level try to tackle this problem, with the lack of efficient and effective enforcement being a major challenge.

]]>Far from being an external or an African problem, it is estimated that around 500,000 women living in the EU have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) and close to 180,000 young women and girls are at risk from it every year. Different initiatives on the EU level try to tackle this problem, with the lack of efficient and effective enforcement being a major challenge.

As defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It causes serious physical and mental harm. This practice has been said to amount to a violation of the right to life (Article 2 ECHR) and to be cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (Article 3 ECHR).

Not an “African problem”

Far from being an external or an African problem like we too often hear, according to the European Parliament 2012 resolution it is estimated that around 500,000 women living in the EU have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) and close to 180,000 young women and girls are at risk from it every year. To address this gender-based violence and human rights violation, in 2013 the European Union in the form of the European Commission Communication on the Elimination of FGM established an EU action plan which put forward in equal footing the need for preventive measures and prosecution of such crime.

Symbolic picture: It is estimated that around 500,000 women living in the EU have undergone female genital mutilation Photo credit: layalk via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

The EU Victims directive was seen as one major step to strengthen the position of those fighting against FGM. FGM stakeholders working with victims estimate that the directive, which is fully applicable since November 2015, has great potential in offering support to victims when fully and well implemented by the Member States. But unfortunately, many member states have up to now failed to transpose the directive into national law. Therefore, on February 22 – the European Day for Victims of Crime – the Commission opened infringement procedures against 16 Member States for non-communication of the Directive, which means that those members had yet to provide the Commission with information on the transposition of the directive into national law. Such infringement procedures may take years, thus hindering the Commission to enforce quick and comprehensive entry into force of EU law. The case of the Victims Directive thereby exemplifies the general problem of the lack of common application and absence of effective and efficient enforcement procedures on EU level. In the case of FGM, this means that victims in many EU member states probably are still not getting the support they would be entitled to according to the directive.

The Istanbul Convention – a helpful tool in the fight against FGM

On the other hand, another step into the right direction is the fact that the Commission’s Strategic Engagement for Gender Equality[1] has put FGM as a stand-alone key action to combat gender-based violence and protect and support victims. Continuing the work toward better data collection, awareness raising and support of Member States and civil society’s effort regarding violence against women, Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality in March 2016 furthermore proposed EU accession to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) for 2017. By having 2017 be the European year dedicated to combating violence against women, Jourova took yet another step in order to put the topic at the top of the EU list of priorities.

Regarding the fight against FGM, such a step would definitely be helpful: The Istanbul Convention requires States Parties to criminalise the subjecting or coercing of a woman or a girl to undergo FGM in addition to inciting a child to do the same (Article 38). Therefore, the EU ratification of the Convention would provide better data collection and accountability in regard to a proper monitoring and effective application by the Member States.

Complex issue, complex solutions

FGM is a complex issue so there is a need for concerted and multi-disciplinary actions with all relevant stakeholders as well as involvement of the communities in which FGM is in practice. In other words, as much as criminalisation is important, prevention and peer to peer education are essential to change behaviour. The EU funded project “European Knowledge Platform for Professionals Dealing with Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)” could be a tool to make this happen. The web-based knowledge platform will serve as a European resource and education centre on FGM. It builds upon the successful results of the United to END FGM E-learning Course which enhances the capacity of professionals. Another promising approach is Men Speak Out, a project which puts men at the centre of the solution to end FGM – a great way to involve communities and avoid stigmatisation.

[1] It is true that the “Strategic Engagement” is only a staff working document (instead of an actual gender equality strategy, as it used to be the case before) and thus does not have any inter-institutional value, which is a downgrade and can be seen as a step back. However, in the case of FGM, the fact that the fight against the practice was put as a stand-alone key point nonetheless is a step forward, as this shows the recognition of the problem and the commitment of the Commission to resolve it.

]]>http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2016/10/10/fgm-in-europe-the-state-of-play/feed/5Lithuanian Gold Fish Ruta Meilutytehttp://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2016/09/22/lithuanian-gold-fish-ruta-meilutyte/
http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2016/09/22/lithuanian-gold-fish-ruta-meilutyte/#respondThu, 22 Sep 2016 10:33:29 +0000http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/?p=1944Rio Olympics 2016 was one of the biggest events this summer that captured the world’s attention. What we saw is a competition between countries that win more medals, but inside every sport and country has a different story. One such story is about a young Lithuanian swimmer, Ruta Meilutyte, who won all possible champions in the world, but at the end of the Rio Olympics surprisingly returned to Lithuania without a single medal.

]]>Rio Olympics 2016 was one of the biggest events this summer that captured the world’s attention. What we saw is a competition between countries that win more medals, but inside every sport and country has a different story. One such story is about a young Lithuanian swimmer, Ruta Meilutyte, who won all possible champions in the world, but at the end of the Rio Olympics surprisingly returned to Lithuania without a single medal.

Ruta went to Rio as a London Olympics, World and European champions’ medals winner. Moreover, she had also achieved many swimming records – 8 European records and 3 World records. Expectations before her swims in Rio were high, in some ways too high. She swam in the finals with the best 8 swimmers. She did not win any medal – she came 7th in the women’s 100-metre breaststroke swimming ranking.

The current situation

The post Rio reaction involved lots of criticism and negative emotions – everyone was expecting Ruta to win a medal, and not just any medal, but a gold. Despite the fact that after her swim Ruta was full of anger, despair and tears of resentment, she was interviewed by a Lithuanian journalist who asked questions such as ‘’What was the most difficult for you today?’’, ‘’How do you evaluate your swimming time?’’, ‘’Is this the biggest disappointment of your life?’’. Former Lithuanian swimmer Arvydas Juozaitis, whose best result was bronze in the Montreal Olympics 1976, said during an interview that the peak of Ruta’s career is over as she has not improved since London Olympics 2012.

He commented that you could see physiological changes on Ruta’s body – her figure now is more feminine, muscular and heavier. Many experts say that it influenced why with every swim she became slower and slower. Then the comments took a sexist turn: Juozaitis told the interviewer that he wishes for Ruta to get an education, have a family and kids; if she wants to continue her career she should come back as a trainer, not as a professional swimmer.

It is doubtful that he had ever said such a thing about a male swimmer. Ruta, after all, is only nineteen years and still has all her life, and probably most of her career, before her – think about the 50 metre freestyle Bronze Medal winner Aliaksandra Herasimenia who is nearly 31 years old. Of course, Ruta Meilutyte could become a mum; yes, she could get an academic qualification – but aren’t Juozaitis’ comments emblematic for a society which still sees female successes as a threat and rather would like reduce them to their stereotypical role as wives and mothers? In this situation – why should we not wish for Ruta to become stronger and faster and win a gold medal at the Olympics 2020 in Tokyo?

]]>http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2016/09/22/lithuanian-gold-fish-ruta-meilutyte/feed/0A Feminist State of the Unionhttp://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2016/09/16/a-feminist-state-of-the-union/
http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/or/2016/09/16/a-feminist-state-of-the-union/#respondFri, 16 Sep 2016 14:30:06 +0000http://www.europeanyoungfeminists.eu/?p=1901On September 14th, Jean Claude Juncker, on behalf of the European Commission, reviewed a year of EU achievements and outlined his action plan for the next twelve months in the much anticipated “State of the Union” speech. We, 52 young feminists, representing 22 diverse European countries, have written our response - a feminist State of the Union.

]]>On September 14th, Jean Claude Juncker, on behalf of the European Commission, reviewed a year of EU achievements and outlined his action plan for the next twelve months in the much anticipated “State of the Union” speech. We, 52 young feminists, representing 22 diverse European countries, have written our response – a feminist State of the Union.

Participants of the AGORA 2016 – Photo courtesy of the European Women’s Lobby

The European Union (EU) has brought peace and economic prosperity to the continent for the last six decades. We, young and diverse feminists across Europe, are not denying the progress set in motion by the EU. Nonetheless, we will not remain silent about the harsh reality in which we live. Equality policies are still far from sufficient and gender equality is still considered as a secondary goal, even though it is a core value of the EU and one of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN.

As is explicitly stated in the treaties, the Union stands for combating of social exclusion and discrimination, and the promotion of social justice and protection, equality between women and men, solidarity between generations and protection of the rights of the child. It is time that the EU applies what it has committed to.

A society where gender equality is achieved is a society which offers a better quality of life for all of its citizens. The austerity policies that have swept across Europe in the past few years have undermined gender equality and disproportionately negatively impacted women. As young feminists, we want to believe in a future where a gender lens will be applied to ‘neutral’ decision making, and not simply as as ‘add on’ to policies. We are convinced that the promotion of gender equality in a universalist, holistic and intersectional approach will achieve an open, tolerant and diverse society where people, regardless of background, can build a full and prosperous life.

This Feminist State of Union has the purpose to give a clear overview of core feminist actions and problems in the European countries in 2016. In the EU, women and non-binary people are still disproportionately victimised as a consequence of their gender identity. The EU has a record of good work on women’s rights but much more still needs to be done. Feminists from around Europe were compelled to write a feminist State of Union as a response to the fact that our rights are at best questioned, and at worst disregarded when crises hit. This statement should serve as a tool to start the conversation on how we can work to create a better society for all, throughout the EU.

Moreover, this report seeks to draw attention to the fact that there is a lack of intersectional statistics available on the Eurostat websites. It is generally known that discrimination can take multiple forms, and as a result it is fundamental that we start to analyse gender alongside factors such as race, disability, age and class. We must recognise that intersectional discrimination is a systemic barrier to the achievement of equality for many marginalised women, and as a result we urge the EU to address and ensure full recognition of intersectionality in all policies, legislation and initiatives related to all forms of discrimination.

Fight Violence Against Women and Girls

Gender-based violence has been described by the Council of the EU (Justice and Home Affairs) in 2014 as “violence in close relationships, sexual violence… trafficking in human beings, slavery, sexual exploitation, and harmful practices such as child and forced marriages, female genital mutilation and crimes committed in the name of so-called “honour”, as well as emerging forms of violations, such as on-line harassment…stalking and bullying.” While there is a lack of clear data on the full extent of violence against women in the EU, it is estimated that 1 in 3 women in the EU today have experienced physical and/or sexual assault and 1 in 20 have been raped. 180,000 girls are at risk of female genital mutilation in the EU each year. It should also be noted that disabled women are 2 to 5 times more likely to be victims of violence than non-disabled women. Despite the magnitude of this issue, austerity measures across Europe have resulted in major cuts to services fighting violence against women. For example, in the UK between 2010 to 2012, services to combat violence against women by local authorities were cut by 31%.

Violence against women and girls is deeply rooted in gender-based discrimination, stereotypes and social norms. As a result, we strongly believe that we must challenge the status quo and fully invest in proper education policies to teach gender equality from a young age all around Europe. Policies should aim to break the cycle of impunity, revise marriage laws, scrap the idea that a one-size-fits all programmatic approach is sufficient to putting an end to gender-based violence. Moreover, we must listen to women as knowledge bearers and start to focus on the local level, as well as support local expert services so that they can create the necessary support when developing responses to violence against all women. Such responses should also take into account the acute vulnerability of those from minority groups: be they Black and Minority Ethnic (BME), LGBT+ or disabled women.

Protect the Sexual Health and Reproductive Rights of Women

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every year, there are an estimated 40-50 million abortions. 21.6 million women experience an unsafe abortion worldwide and 47,000 women die from complications of unsafe abortion each year. Issued in 2016, General comment No. 22 on the right to sexual and reproductive health (article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) states that a wide range of contraceptive methods and abortion should be available for women. Despite this international recognition of women’s reproductive rights, women in Europe are still deprived from their basic right to their bodily autonomy.

In Ireland, Poland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Malta abortion is restricted. Furthermore, in Italy and Turkey, women’s access to abortion services are becoming more and more restricted, whilst in Hungary and Croatia, abortion services are under threat and attack. Moreover, in Malta, women’s access to contraceptives is also limited. Women in these countries have to travel to other European countries to access safe abortion services or risk their health and life by using unsafe abortion methods or face being forced into unwanted pregnancies.

Women are not reproductive vessels, and abortion restrictions are incompatible with the Union’s commitments to international law. As young feminists we want safe, legal and accessible abortion services across Europe, as well as access to contraception, in order to have full bodily autonomy. We also feel that in the same spirit of freedom, every woman, no matter her marital status or sexual orientation, should have access to medically-assisted procreation.

Improve Women’s Representation in Decision-Making Processes

In the latest legislature, only 37% of members of the European Parliament and 27% of national parliamentarians are women. BME women, women with disabilities, or women from the LGBT+ community are barely represented at all. Only 28% of high-level administrators in the European Commission are women, while women account for approximately 23% of board members of the largest companies registered in the EU member states. Women make up a mere 19% of the judiciary in the European courts. This situation is unacceptable, but sadly reflects the often sexist nature of European and national politics, administrations and judiciaries. Lack of representation results in women often feeling alienated from decision-making structures and without a voice in the decision-making process. As their voice is unheard, their rights are threatened.

In order to tackle this lack of representation, the EU should develop and support programmes with the aim of empowering and providing women with confidence and experience in leadership roles. All political parties and groups at EU and national level should be required to make a concerted effort to nominate and promote female candidates in order to achieve gender parity in political representation. The EU institutions need to adopt binding legislation to ensure gender parity in recruitment and promotions in public services. Lasting equality cannot be achieved without an “empowerment policy” toward women all around Europe. Women of all backgrounds need to be considered and represented in decision-making structures in order to achieve a truly equal society for all.

End the Pay and Pension Gap

While the principle of equal pay was introduced at the European level as early as in the Treaty of Rome in 1957, still today women earn on the average 16.1% per hour less than men in EU member states. This difference in salary is predominantly caused by the persistence of entrenched gendered roles and expectations. For example, women are more likely to work in part-time jobs to allow for the care of children or the elderly. This can lead to lower earnings per year, a process which culminates in a lifelong earnings gap of 41%. Due to maternity leave or breaks in their career due to care work, women are less likely to be offered promotions and experience more difficulty in integrating in the labour market. Countries’ policies on work-life balance play an essential role for the position of women on the pay-scale. Indeed, the ability of women to easily return to work has a great impact on women’s work opportunities and therefore on their salary. In a nutshell, women earn less than men across EU member states.

It is also vital to note that women are not a homogenous group. Disabled women often face additional barriers to accessing the labour market. Also, while women in public sector tend to have a lower pay gap than women working in the private sector, they are less likely to be in decision-making positions. Older women experience a larger pay gap than their younger counterparts. It is important to stress that differences in salaries also impact on pensions. The less women earn, the less likely they are able to sustain themselves at the age of retirement. The gender pension gap in the EU is over 40%, which means poverty for many women as they age. We need to actively tackle pay and pension inequality immediately at EU and national levels to provide women the means to be financially independent.

Fight against the Rise of Conservative/Far-Right Political Forces

Our common history has shown to what extent economic crises impact the values of a society. The threat of austerity, the gloomy economic climate and a chaotic international context that has lead to the so-called “migrant crisis” have been accelerants for the recent rise of conservative forces all around Europe. The results of the latest European election are alarming with a significant increase in far right parties being represented in the European Parliament. It is even more alarming to see that this phenomenon is being replicated on a national level. The economic crisis and long-term unemployment are feeding the bitterness of the European population, resulting in an “anti-establishment” vote. Unfortunately, it is not a vote towards progress but a vote of fear, as the population is reacting to the crisis by turning to traditional and well-established societal and patriarchal values that are deemed “reassuring.” This is putting women back in their traditional roles of wives and mothers, in an heteronormative and patriarchal society.

The rise of conservative and far right forces is a major threat to all the battles won by the feminist movement over the last 60 years. Today, it is also a threat to Europe and the EU’s ideas and values. In a time of crisis, where the paradigm of everlasting economic growth is questioned, we need more than ever an open society, and a turn towards acceptance and not the fear of the others.

We, Young Feminists, are determined to stand strong to achieve an effective gender equality.

Because we are the children of an open-minded and generous European Union,

Because we need progress and hope more than ever,

Because we are deeply convinced that a society where women are living as free, fulfilled and considered human beings, is a society that is working its way toward happiness,

Because we believe in values of equality, liberty, and tolerance – no matter our class, sex, sexual orientation, race, religion.